It’s amazing as I sit looking outside right now, thrilled at the brightness of the sun and a hint of warmth. Winters can be pretty harsh – those of you in the East know all about that this year.

Winter takes a toll on our vehicles, homes, and even dormant plants and vegetation. But every Spring it all comes back. The clouds become a little less cloudy and sun becomes a little more sunny!

Job hunting (especially the dental hygiene variety) takes a toll too. Rejection after rejection, no job openings in site – sometimes you wonder if ANY one is actually working as a hygienist.

It’s so important that you do lots of little things when job prospects seem as bleak, cold and harsh as some winters.

So this week, we want to share nine things you should do to keep your spirits up. Why worry about it? Well, if you don’t, and an interview does come along, you don’t want to appear desperate or defeated.

This is the time to shine with excitement and self-confidence. If you give off those rays strength, you’ll be ready and make a great impression.

Sorry if these are obvious but they do matter and they do impact your job search – maybe more than you think.

1. Rest/Sleep

Make sure you are getting the right number of hours of shut-eye for you. Everyone’s a little different, but you probably have a good idea for you so really try to hit those hours as close as you can. Take a 15-30 minute nap, if you can, during the day if you were a little restless a particular night.

2. Exercise

A good 30 minutes per day, five days a should be sufficient. Try and elevate your heart rate a little bit so you break a sweat. If you can go for a little longer (even if it’s just walking) that’s all good and will help clear your mind. Some resistance (weights) training is great, too. You don’t have to be a marathoner or body builder, just include some daily movement.

3. Eat Good

Everyone knows it yet, we all fall into the rut once in a while of eating too many foods that are too convenient. I’m talking fast food and processed food mostly. Figure out your caloric intake per day and stay within it. You can eat a ton of veggies, feel satisfied and stay within your calorie count. A good tall glass of water and an apple is a great way to stave off the impulse to eat more.

4. Sunlight

Winters are harder (and most of you in the South won’t have this problem), but seeing the sun and light in general lifts the spirits and emotional psyche. If it’s dark or overcast, put in some good bright light bulbs in a room where you can hang out.

5. Volunteer

This is great for two reasons: First you feel amazing helping people that are unable to help themselves as much, but also if you can find a way to volunteer in the dental world (clinic or classroom), you will be increasing your odds of finding a job so I highly recommend this one.

6. Hobby

Make sure you are able to spend some time doing something you love. If it brings a smile to your face when you are doing it or thinking about it then make sure you are finding time for it.

7. Music

Music is an extremely powerful tool for guiding our emotions. So choose to listen to music in your car or in your exercising that lifts your spirits. Bonus points if it’s something that inspires and motivates you.

8. Entertainment

Sometimes we just need TV, movies, theater, etc. so we can give our brains a rest and be entertained. That’s great and actually very productive use of your time if it re-charges you. Just be sure to schedule it rather than fall into it and stay too long.

9. Silence/Meditation/Prayer     

Finally, everyone needs a little bit of quiet time. We simply don’t give ourselves (myself included) enough time to hear wind blow through the trees, listen to the sound of water trickling, or enjoy the ambience of nature. These help our minds re-focus, re-charge, re-ignite. It also gives us a chance to think clearly about our professional and person paths, making sure they are in line and where we want them to be.